The Millionaire and the Stray
by PrussianBirds
Summary: Ivan didn't mean for all of this to happen. He had only wanted to help the injured albino, not fall in love with him. Gilbert has always been slow to trust people, but being raped, beaten, and left in an alley didn't help that in the slightest. Now living with Ivan, he begins to see another side to life that doesn't involve abusive or controlling relationships. (RusPru)
1. Chapter 1

Ivan Braginsky groaned as he rubbed his eyes with his large hands. He listened to the monotonous hum of the elevator as it made its descent to the first floor. He held back a yawn as he wrapped his pale scarf snugly around his neck. Glancing at his watch, he realized that it was already a quarter past two in the morning. This was the part of the job that he hated. Sure, he made exceptional money, and got along with everyone; but the late nights and early mornings made it nearly impossible to put up with. He walked through the brilliantly decorated entrance and grimaced as the intense lights shone into his worn out eyes.

Ivan was the heir of a business tycoon and had inherited it nearly a year ago. Although he was never previously interested in the profession, his father had insisted that Ivan took over in case something was to happen to him. It seemed that his father was simply being paranoid at the time, but not a month later he was attacked and brutally murdered. The reasons were still unknown to Ivan, and occasionally he found himself wondering what it was that his father had gotten himself into.

He felt his body relax ever so slightly as he exited the exquisite building. The steady sound of traffic and crickets filled the crisp air. It was nearing August in the relatively large city, and Ivan wouldn't choose to have it any other way. He had always preferred the chilly winter to the scorching heat of summer. He adjusted the scarf around his neck and headed for his apartment a few blocks away. Although he was becoming very drowsy, he enjoyed the calming effect that his night walks had on him.

He sighed in contentment as his thoughts drifted to the nice, soft bed waiting for him. He could picture its warm blankets cocooning him in a comforting embrace. He could nearly see his apartment from the street, and could just barely tell where his bedroom window was located. He smiled at it, and briefly wondered how much he could actually sleep if he had an entire day off.

As he neared a streetlamp he began to pass by an alley. He took a glance inside of it out of curiosity. Although he wasn't expecting to see anything out of the ordinary, he certainly did not expect to see a pair of red orbs staring back at him from the shadows. He gasped ever so slightly at the odd color, but then came to realize that the owner of the orbs was a man. He was laying on the ground and it was obvious that he had gotten into a fight. There was blood, and bruises littering the man's pale face. Ivan wouldn't be surprised if there were more all over his body. The man momentarily scrunched his face in pain as he weakly tried to push himself off the ground.

Ivan quickly went to the man in order to help him. He froze his movements as soon as he caught sight of Ivan moving towards him. Red eyes followed his every move, staring wide with shock. The man jerked away the instant Ivan got too close. With lights from passing cars, Ivan began noticing other oddities about the man. For one, his hair was pure white, and reminded him of the snow back in his home country of Russia. As Ivan extended a hand, the man flinched wildly and tried standing once more only to grunt and fall back down. Ivan bit his lip as he saw that the man was squirming in order to hide himself within the shadows. Some blood trickling down from his head, and splattered against the concrete. The rustic smell of the red fluid made Ivan wonder if there was more that he was not seeing.

"What happened to you?" Ivan all but demanded.

The strange man could only flinch at the harsh tone as he tried to hide himself and his wounds. Ivan glared at the lack of an answer, but he knew that this man needed help. He had no idea how long the man had been laying on the frigid concrete. He would have to treat his wounds quickly. Although it was not common for the Russian to show such concern for another, this man struck something in him that he couldn't quite place. Without much warning, he took his coat off and laid it over the trembling man who was weakly supporting himself on his arms. The man flinched slightly in surprise but appeared to cuddle into the warmth as a harsh shudder suddenly wracked his body.

Ivan used that distraction as a chance to pick the stranger up in both arms. He was shocked at just how light the other was, but all thoughts were cast aside once he felt the other weakly thrashing around. His grip tightened on him as the albino harshly growled, and simply threw his fist in the Russian's direction. Although the sudden contact caught him off guard, it wasn't enough for him to drop the bloody man. He shifted the man so he had more room to wrap him more securely in the coat, trapping his arms to his own chest. The man's reflexes were getting slower and less frequent until they died down completely.

Ivan sighed heavily in relief as the man suddenly relaxed heavily into his arms. It was only then that Ivan decided to head to his apartment. As he glanced at the body in his arms, he saw that the man's red eyes were closed and his breathing had calmed down significantly. The Russian smiled to himself as he continued on his way with the unconscious man. As Ivan pushed the door to his apartment open, he couldn't help but smile as warmth washed over him. He glanced at the man he was holding and couldn't help but blush as he realized the man had his face buried in the fur of the coat and was even nuzzling up to the Russian's chest ever so slightly. Ivan told himself that it was just because he was cold, but that did little to stop the odd feeling taking him over.

Ivan took the man into his own bedroom, as it was a one-bedroom apartment, and gently laid him on the bed taking care to not hurt him. He grimaced as he caught sight of blood slowly making its way onto the bedding.

"I suppose I needed to change them anyway..." he mumbled to himself.

He removed his coat from the other as he turned on the lamp on the side table in order to get a better look. He was shocked to see just how badly wounded to man was. He had scars littering his body, some large, some small. A few looked more recent, and appeared to be caused by some kind of knife. Ivan noticed that the albino man's pants were soaked with blood and swore to himself as he realized why. Staring down at the man, he sighed as he realized that he would have to wait for him to wake up before he would actually get to know how all this happened.

After a short while of watching the man, Ivan decided to take a chance with the unconscious man. He carefully slid what little remained of the albino's clothes to change him into something he thought would be more comfortable. He faintly blushed as he realized that the man's pants were already undone and he was missing underwear. Ivan was ready to yank them off quickly until he heard a quiet whimper escape the sleeping man. Ivan sighed and forced himself to go slowly while he looked away. He figured the man would not be very grateful if he thought that the Russian was using this as an opportunity to see the man completely naked. As the remainder of the pants slipped off, Ivan couldn't help but marvel at how soft and smooth the man's legs looked. Ivan could hardly refrain from touching them, but decided to focus on the main task.

He was not sure how to go about the shirt, as he did not want to disturb the albino's slumber. He decided to simply leave it alone and went to his dresser to retrieve a pair of his own pajama pants. He grimaced as he looked at the size difference between the man on the bed and the smallest pants he owned.

"These will do for now..." He murmured with a sigh.

Going back to the bed, he sat on his knees in front of the albino and blushed heavily at the thought of what he had to do.

 _One leg at a time..._ He thought to himself.

He gently lifted the albino's right leg into his lap and flinched as he heard a small gasp of pain escape the unconscious man's lips. As the man slowly relaxed, Ivan took the opportunity to slip the leg into the pant leg. About halfway though, Ivan did the same to the other leg before shimmying the waistline up the albino's waist. His blush darkened as the man lifted his own hips into the air weakly in response. Although Ivan appreciated the help, it left him scrambling off of the bed nonetheless. He scolded himself for being so jumpy, but there was something about the albino that made him that way.

In the end, he decided not to dwell on it and to simply get some rest. He went to his private bathroom and changed into some sweatpants. Unraveling the scarf, the set it down alone with his shirt. He grabbed a spare blanket from his closet as well as the pillow lying unused beside the albino. After one last look at the man, Ivan turned out the light as he headed for the couch that would serve as a bed for tonight. Ivan shook his head in disbelief about the night's activities. He began thinking about what he was going to do with the man sleeping in his bed as he drifted off to a well-deserved sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Ivan nuzzled into his pillow as he peered around his living room. Briefly, he wondered why he was not tucked into his expensive bed. Soon enough, he came to the realization that the previous night's events had actually happened. He blushed as he realized that the gorgeous, bloody man from last night was currently still snoozing away in his bed. He sighed as he cursed himself for being so impulsive. But the man clearly needed help whether he wanted it or not.

Ivan slowly got up hearing his joints crack in several places. He grunted at the feeling, but decided to simply walk it off. His feet were making their way across the light wood floors, and he couldn't help but smile at the cooling feeling. He went to his bedroom door and pressed an ear against it, listening for any movement. All that was heard was the light breathing of the other, as well as the slight rustling of blankets being moved. He stayed like that for a while, just debating whether or not it was worth taking a look. He was mildly worried about what he would see once the door was open. He definitely didn't want to scare his strange guest any more than he already had.

After long enough, Ivan took his chance and peeked inside. Ivan cringed as he noted all the blood covering his pillow and was slightly annoyed at himself for not cleaning up the man's face. Of course, Ivan _was_ on the verge of collapsing by the time that he had reached the complex. Once he thought about it, he realized all the strange rumors that were sure to pop up. He had quite the nosy neighbors, even if it was a high-class area.

He felt himself tense at the sound of the albino grunting. It appeared that the man was still sleeping. The covers were pulled up to his neck and his face was buried deeply into the dark grey pillow. If the man's face were cleaned up a bit more, Ivan would have sworn that he was watching an angel. He briefly wondered how bright the man's hair would be once it was washed. From the smell, as well as all the dirt, Ivan could conclude that it had been a good week since the man had properly showered. A sudden gurgling sound caught his attention, and as he listened more he realize that it was the albino's stomach.

"He needs to get some food into him…." Ivan mumbled.

Before he had even finished the sentence, he had shut the door and was heading for the kitchen. He figured that the man was bound to be starving when he woke up. As he opened up the cabinets, he was discouraged to find nothing aside from a few items that would not make a satisfying meal. He supposed that the corporation meetings were what caused him to be so negligent about the state of his flat. He sighed as he went through each cabinet, feeling more annoyed with himself with each useless ingredient. He really didn't want the man to wake up alone. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that the albino would be even less likely to accept Ivan's help if his stomach was practically eating itself. Ivan grabbed his keys from the rack and took one more glance towards his bedroom door before leaving to the store.

The albino flinched as he groaned in agony. The light seeping through the window blinds was just barely enough to make him force himself to roll over. He weakly lifted an arm up to cover his eyes from the sunlight. Cracking an eye open, he saw that it was 2:38 according to the dull red light of the alarm clock. He took a minute to simply scan around the area. It appeared that he was inside of a bedroom. A bedroom that had to be owned by someone who had quite a very thick wallet.

He took hold of the bedside table and wiggled himself over to the edge of the bed. Slowly, he pushed himself up with a grunt. He couldn't remember much of what happened or why he was here. All he knew was that he had to get back as soon as he could. He weakly swung his legs over the side and lifted himself up slowly. A burning pain shot itself up his backside and he gasped as he stumbled back onto the bed. It took him a few seconds to register exactly what it was that had hurt him. He couldn't help but groan at how utterly stupid he had been.

Although the memories were dim, he recalled a fight he had gotten into with some man inside of an alley. There was a lot of yelling and the man slammed his face into the brick wall. After that, all he could remember were all the screams that he had let loose. It was now obvious why his throat felt so raw and sore.

He slowly forced himself to stand once more and gritted his teeth at the pain. He dragged himself to a dresser and grimaced at the man he saw in the mirror. His face looked completely swollen and his left eye had a dark blue bruise around it. The eye itself was even more swollen, so much that he could hardly open it without pain being present. He had cuts up and down his arms, and he was scared to even check the damage down below. The sight of it all nearly made him want to lash out and punch the mirror. However, he knew that it would only make his injuries worse. That, and he would have to cough up the money to replace it.

He took a moment to scan his surroundings and was amazed at how much money the bedroom alone must have been worth. The walls were decorated with paintings of landscapes with dark wooden frames. The bedframe and dresser appeared to be made of the same type of wood. On the far side of the room, the entire wall was lined with windows. There was a heavy dark curtain over to the side, most likely to shield out the bright city lights. Clearly it had not been moved from the previous morning. There was a king-sized bed in the center of the wall furthest from the door. From the albino's recent memory, the bed was quite comfortable and warm. He was curious as to what the rest of the house looked like.

It slowly dawned on him that whoever's house he was in, could very well be the same person who attacked him. He growled as he realized that he would have to deal with the pain, and leave as soon as he could. He carefully limped to the door while leaning against the wall heavily. His stomach gave a low rumble, and he swore to himself. The more he thought about it, a meal didn't sound half bad.

He slowly turned the brass doorknob and peeked out. Although he did not see anyone, he could not keep his heart from pounding. His mouth fell open as he took in the view. It managed to fall even more as he realized that he would have to hobble down a flight of stairs in order to leave. His legs were already trembling from just holding himself up. Glancing to his left, he spotted a bathroom. He played around with the thought of cleaning himself using the sink, but decided against it. Heading for the stairs, he prayed to every god he could think of. The last thing he wanted to do was fall and end up in even more pain. With every step, he let out a grunt of both pain and irritation. He knew he had to hurry, but the faster he went, the more fire shot up his backside. It felt as though he had been walking for an hour.

By the time he reached the floor, his body was ready to collapse on itself. He briefly noted that more blood had made its way down his leg. He glanced around and saw a discarded blanket and pillow on the couch. That was all it took for the albino to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that whoever was here had left. He leaned against the couch to rest his aching body. He took a minute to admire everything that the owner of the house had. All the furniture matched, and there was a good-sized flat-screen hanging on the wall. The colors seemed to give out a calming atmosphere, and the albino wondered if the owner had done it himself or if they had hired someone. He sneered as he realized that he was supposed to hate the man, not be curious about him. Shaking his head, he straightened up and flinched as he heard the jingling sound of keys.

He looked to the windows by the kitchen and limped over as quickly as he could. He began shaking before he even reached the counter. He could hardly see straight from the excruciating pain he was in. Everything seemed to be blurry as he grabbed blindly for anything that would support his sore and exhausted body. He stiffened and felt himself being to tremble even more out of fear. As he heard the doorknob twist, he felt his stomach lurch violently.


	3. Chapter 3

Ivan heard some shuffling from inside his flat and immediately felt worried.

"He shouldn't be up so soon…" He mumbled.

He shifted the bags into one hand as he pushed open the door. He was shocked to see the albino man shivering violently beside a kitchen counter. The man was looking at him like a wild animal being cornered. He was clinging to the counter as though that was the only thing supporting him. As soon as Ivan took another step inside, the albino's trembling became even more apparent. Ivan figured that the best way to approach the man was to go as slowly as possible. He definitely didn't want the clearly frightened albino to bolt in fear. He'd only hurt himself even more, and potentially panic and go straight out the window. Ivan saw nothing more than raw fear in those red eyes.

"Just calm-" Ivan started.

A clattering sound interrupted him and he saw the albino had grabbed a steak knife. Trembling hands pointed it at Ivan as he slowly backed up.

"D-Don't come any closer!" he all but shrieked.

Ivan took a tentative step forward, but wasn't too surprised when the man took a matching step backwards. Looking at the albino, he saw that he was biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. A look of pity was shot towards the man, which was countered with a weak glare. Ivan took his chance and slowly approached the man, who simply raised the knife higher. Something clicked then, and he realized that the man must not have remembered who he was.

 _He hardly even looked at me last night…_

"I'm not the one who did all this to you…" He started.

The white-haired man gave a small growl and tried to force himself to stop shaking. It was not hard for Ivan to see that he was failing miserably. As soon as Ivan took another step, the man lunged at him. When Ivan realized what was happening, he grabbed the pale wrist of the hand that held the knife. The man let out a startled cry and tried to wildly throw himself away from Ivan. Tightening his grip caused a gasp to escape the man, and the knife clattered to the floor. He writhed even more and began to whimper nearly inaudibly.

"I'll let go when you calm down. I'm not going to hurt you," Ivan said.

The albino refused to meet his eyes and didn't appear to have control of his shaking. Sighing, Ivan pulled the man closer to himself. The sudden hug made the malnourished man flinch and he tried shoving Ivan away. The movement caused his oversized pajama pants to fall down just enough to reveal a slight 'V' shape that had Ivan's mouth going dry. Although the man's bones were very visible, the sight still managed to arouse Ivan. As soon as he felt Ivan's grip weaken, he shoved himself away and stumbled onto the floor. He yelped at the sudden pain that seared through his body. Ivan flinched at the sudden sound and looked at the albino with shock. Without much thinking, he took a step towards the man.

"Will you just leave me alone?!" the man screeched as he backed himself into the cabinets.

Ivan sighed as he took a step back. Holding up his hands, he shook his head.

"I already said I wasn't going to hurt you…." He mumbled.

The albino paid him no attention, but busied himself with pulling the pajama pants up and tightened them as much as they would go. The longer the man wasted, the thinner Ivan's patience for the silence was getting.

"What's your name?" he asked.

This surprised both himself and the man. Looking up, the man gave him a weak glare.

"Why should I tell you?" Questioned the albino.

"Because you're sitting on my kitchen floor wearing my pajamas?" The Russian offered.

This caused the albino's face to blank. The man looked to his left, and simply stared at nothing. His arms were wrapped around his small waist as though he were trying to shield himself away from Ivan. He decided his best bet would be to simply wait for the albino to calm down. To make time go by, Ivan began picking up the fallen groceries. He could feel red eyes staring at him and heard the man's stomach growling as he examined the food Ivan bought.

"Gilbert." He nearly whispered.

It took Ivan a few seconds to register what the man had said.

 _His name is Gilbert…_ Ivan realized as he went from the refrigerator to the man still on the floor.

Gilbert was beginning to feel very uneasy with the way the Russian was looming over him with an odd smile on his face. He twitched back as his hair was assaulted by the man's large hand. Ivan couldn't help but reveal a sad smile.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" He asked.

Gilbert gave a weak glare before answering a small 'no'. Nodding, Ivan offered his hand to the albino. Gilbert's stubbornness got the best of him, and he gripped onto the counter to pull himself to his feet. Slowly retracting his hand, Ivan sighed.

"You really are a strange one. You know that?"

Gilbert simply growled in response. He had one hand clenched around his pajama pants and the other was supporting himself off the white tile. Although it took a while, Gilbert eventually managed to stand himself up. Ivan could see that his legs were shaking and could hear the small pants coming from the albino's lips. He had never really paid attention to the man's face previously. It had been too dark, and Ivan was too concerned about his health. Gilbert's face, as beaten and bruised as it was, was still very pleasant to look at. Ivan was sure that with some healing and rest, Gilbert would be the most gorgeous man Ivan had ever laid eyes on. From a young age, Ivan knew very well that he could feel no sexual attraction from women. This was something that he and his father had always fought tooth and nail over.

"Are you hungry?" Ivan finally asked.

The albino simply glared in a silent statement of 'obviously'. Regardless, Ivan patiently waited for Gilbert to reply. The small clock above the kitchen sink was ticking away. The longer the silence grew, the more heated his glare became.

"Fine! I'm hungry! Happy now?!" He lashed out.

Ivan swore he could see a small pout forming on the albino's lips.

 _He really is stubborn._ He thought.

He wasted no time in making lunch.

"Why don't you go lay on the couch?" He asked.

Gilbert glanced down, but took a shaky step forward.

"G-Gilbert…?" He began unsurely.

The last thing he wanted to happen was for Gilbert to hurt himself even more. As the albino continued his low pace, Ivan followed. He made sure that he was never more than two feet behind him. At this, the albino simply sped up to show the Russian that he wasn't as helpless as he appeared. Ivan could see that his jaw was set and he was glaring daggers at his legs, trying to force them to cooperate with him. Small grunts were released every couple of steps. Ivan's eyes widened as the stairs came into view.

 _He made it all the way down?_

Thinking about this made the Russian feel even more strongly about getting Gilbert to lay down. The closer they got get to the couch, the weaker Gilbert appeared. His limp become more pronounced and every breath came out as a pant. The albino swore internally, ashamed at how pathetic he looked. He had never been the type to show weakness. Especially in front of a stranger. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly.

 _Bastard didn't even give me a name._ He thought bitterly.

He gripped onto the arm of the couch and gritted his teeth. Slowly, he lowered himself and quietly hissed the whole way down. After a second of catching his breath, he glared up at the Russian.

"What are you still doing here?!" He snapped.

Ivan flinched at his guest's harsh tone. He only wanted to be there in case Gilbert had hurt himself. By the looks of it, he was in bad shape. Ivan reluctantly walked to the kitchen. Gilbert crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at the jumbled mess of blankets and pillows. A light blush covered his face as he realized that he had been the one who kicked the larger man out of his bedroom.

 _Half of him probably couldn't even fit…_

He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at the image that appeared in his head. He was unsure about how he felt about all this. It was obvious to anyone that the stranger only wanted to help. At this, Gilbert shook his head. Over the years it seemed that he had developed the habit of not trusting people. A firm grimace formed when he thought about why he was here to begin with.

With no warning, a large Russian found his way into Gilbert's view. The albino's first instinct was to glare. As soon as his eyes caught sight of the large and steaming bowl being held out to him, all thought of saving his pride vanished. Without waiting another second, Gilbert pulled the bowl away from the Russian and nearly moaned at the warmth suddenly flowing through his hands. Ivan attempted to warn him that it was too hot, but the words feel on deaf ears. The man was clearly too busy shoveling the soup into his mouth. Ivan saw a bit of the brown substance dripping off of the corner of the albino's lips, but he simply smiled and set a napkin on the coffee table.

Gilbert's stomach was groaning much more persistently now that his senses were being overwhelmed by the soup. The warmth of the bowl, the sweet scent emitting from it, and the small lumps of potatoes and meat were just about enough to send him nosediving into the bowl. Fortunately, Ivan was there with a spoon to remind him to use what little was left of his manners. Gilbert eagerly took the spoon from the man's hand and quickly scooped up the first bite. He was nearly shivering with anticipation as he led the utensil up to his lips. There was a comforting warmth to the spoon, but it did not last long before the albino opened his mouth and let the liquid in. It tasted even better than it looked!

Ivan couldn't help but chuckle at Gilbert. He seemed very pleased with what Ivan had to offer. He mentally thanked his older sister for the cooking lessons she had forced him to take. Ivan would have never have guessed that they would actually come in handy. But looking at how quickly Gilbert's soup was disappearing made Ivan wonder if the man would have eaten a handful of raw fish just as quickly. Thinking about that made a small pang appear in Ivan's chest. The albino was far too skinny for anyone to not wonder when his last meal was. Gilbert appeared to have been living on very little for what could possibly be years.

Suddenly there was a pale hand waving in Ivan's face. Apparently he had begun staring at Gilbert while lost in thought. Embarrassed, Ivan felt his cheek warm up.

"What is it?" he asked the other.

"Do you have any more?" the albino asked as he glanced towards the now empty bowl.

"I have half the pot left." Ivan gleefully stated. At this Gilbert perked up. Ivan chucked. "Would you like some more?"

At this Gilbert reluctantly nodded. It had really tasted good. Of course, anything will taste good if one has been deprived of a food source for so long. He watched as Ivan stood with his bowl and made his way for the kitchen. Gilbert leaned his head back against the couch and relaxed for a brief moment. His stomach had quieted down, but he still couldn't wait to get more of the warm soup into his body. He took a look at the TV situated in an entertainment center. It looked as expensive as everything thing else in the house.

He was lost in thought about how easy the owner of the house had it. He would kill to have a life half as nice as the odd man. Sure, he really didn't have it that rough. But he could definitely get used to the fancy-pants lifestyle. He was sure that he would cause quite a ruckus in the community if he were to stay in the Russian's apartment for too long. He smirked a bit at the thought. Night after night of parties with expensive beers imported from Germany was the first thing he would bring into this boring apartment. Maybe more color too. The monotonous colors were beginning to wear on his nerves. It was then that another bowl was placed in front of his face. He flinched slightly in surprise, but took the bowl nonetheless.

Ivan smiled at the slight uplift of the albino's lips. If Ivan were honest, he'd say that he would be willing to work even more than he already did just to make the silver-haired man smile every day. It could be because Ivan was a bit lacking when it comes to having friends, so that could explain why he wanted to make sure his strange guest was as comfortable as possible. His large build, and menacing aura had a tendency to scare others away. For some reason, it seemed as though the albino was simply oblivious to just how scared he should be of the Russian. Not that Ivan minded, of course. Although he may look threatening, he really was nothing more than a big teddy bear.

"Would you like to watch TV?" he asked.

The man shrugged, "I'd rather have a shower."

Ivan briefly thought it over, and didn't see any harm in it. "Sure, but a bath would be better. I'll show you to the bathroom once you're done eating."

Gilbert rolled his eyes at that. "I don't need your help. Besides, I don't hurt that bad. I would be just fine with a shower. And some clean clothes." He quickly added after glancing down at his sloppy attire. He just hoped that his host would have clothes that he could wear. He studied the slight chub of the other, and sighed as he realized that it would take a miracle for him to find any clothes that would fit his scrawny figure.

At this, the Russian smiled and nodded. "Of course. I can go look now." He said as he stood and headed to the stairs. The albino watched him softly and sighed when the man had disappeared from sight. He looked around the room, and shivered as he thought about how nice a shower would feel. Just the thought of the warm water relaxing all of his tense muscles was making him want to jump in the bathtub right then and there. A bit of shuffling was heard from the open bedroom door, and Gilbert couldn't help but wonder how exactly the Russian man was already trusting the albino.

 _Maybe he's just stupid…_ He thought to himself with a small smile. It was childish, sure. But the albino could use a bit of humor. Gilbert looked away when he heard the Russian walking down the steps.

"Why were you out there anyway?" Ivan asked as he set the neatly folded clothes on the bathroom counter.

At this, the albino simply looked away. Ivan sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be getting an answer anytime soon.

"Do you know how to work the shower?"

"I'm sure that it's not unlike any other shower I've used," he shrugged and slowly made his way over.

"When was the last time you used one?" He asked, immediately regretting the question.

At this, the albino growled and weakly shoved him out of the way of the shower with a firm grimace. Ivan chuckled and walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door lightly behind him. He heard the sound of clothes being dropped onto the floor and the water raining down onto the shower floor.

"Towels are in the cabinet next to the sink." He said loud enough for the albino to hear over the rushing water. The only response he got was a small thud of the cabinet door being shut.

Gilbert grabbed out a neatly folded red towel. He held back a smile as he felt how soft the towel was.

 _I've needed this…_ He thought as he glanced down at his naked body. He already knew that he had scratches and bruises all over, but the reality of that thought hadn't kicked in until he could see them in the mirror. He poked at a deep purple bruise on his left arm, and sighed as he felt a small twinge of pain. He brushed it off, and simply peeked inside of the shower-bath combo. It had light purple tiles on the flooring, and the sliding glass door looked thick and sturdy. He placed his palm under the water to make sure that it wouldn't scald him. After adding a bit of cold water to the mixture, he stepped in and slid the door shut. He turned the knobs until the soothing streams were at a pleasant temperature.

He shivered as he felt the water cascading down his sore body. His back probably had the worst of it, so he wasted no time in turning around to soothe the ache. He could see two bottles sitting on the shelf in the corner. After drenching his white hair with water, he reached for a black bottle that he assumed would be shampoo. It didn't appear to have much of a scent, but anything would be better than the dirt caked into his hair. He massaged the white substance into his hair and suppressed a moan. Even though he knew it hadn't been that long since his last shower, he couldn't help but miss the feeling. He glanced down and saw a mixture of dirt, and blood spiraling down the drain. After rinsing out the shampoo, he proceeded to wash his body by hand. There was a gray washcloth laying over a small rack. He assumed that it was the Russian's, so he simply left it there. A few of the cuts and bruises were tender, and stung at the feeling of his hands. He reluctantly turned the water off, and stepped out onto the white mat setting outside of the door.

After wrapping the soft towel around his waist, he looked at the clothes laying on the counter. He walked to them, and picked up the black shirt. It looked like it would fit a bear better than it would him. He dried off as well as his could with what little patience he had. His hair was still dripping when he pulled the shirt over his head, but he paid it no mind. He blushed faintly as a pair of dark blue boxers fell out from the folded pajama pants. It appeared to be the smallest pair of boxers that the large Russian owned. Wondering briefly if they had been worn before, he pulled them on. He grimaced at how often they slipped past his hipbones. He was discouraged to realize that it only got worse when he put on the pajama pants. After he tied the strings around the waistline he tossed his towel in a hamper, and walked towards the door. He subconsciously placed his hand where his phone was normally located, and panicked when he realized that he didn't have it. He shook his head at himself, and figured that it was probably in his pants pocket from yesterday.

"Have a nice shower?" Ivan asked as he saw him walk out of the bathroom.

"It wasn't too bad." Gilbert replied as he situated himself back onto the nice couch.

He rubbed his arms, and fidgeted with the fabric of his borrowed shirt. It smelled a little bit too much like the Russian, but that didn't mean that his scent was unpleasant. If anything, he welcomed it. It was something different than the dingy smell of the apartment that he and his ex-boyfriend, Viktor, were staying at. He shivered as he thought about how pissed he would be. If the albino's suspicions were right, he was sure to have several missed calls. The only reason that Gilbert had a phone was so he could keep the man up-to-date about his whereabouts. Even though they had broken up, and Gilbert had left, the man was still constantly, almost obsessively, checking in on him.

He was just about to ask for his phone when Ivan asked if he wanted anything for the pain. Although the shower had done wonders for him, he nodded. He watched as the large man walked into the steamy bathroom to retrieve a bottle of Advil. There was a glass of water on the coffee table in front of him, so he picked it up while the Russian fished out two capsules. Gilbert reluctantly held his hand out, and let the pills fall into his palm. After a quick inspection, he slipped them into his mouth and let the water cool his throat. He noticed that Ivan was watching him intensely, and he lowered the glass from his lips.

"Did you happen to find my phone?" He asked.

The words seemed to snap the Russian out of it, and the Russian's lowered into a small frown. "Your phone should be upstairs. Stay down here, and I'll go look," he said as he turned around to fetch the German's clothes from yesterday.

Gilbert watched and squirmed, a little unnerved by the quiet of the apartment. He glanced at the now empty glass, and wished he was able to get up and find some more water. Some beer would be even more satisfying now that the thought about it. Viktor hadn't let him touch the stuff ever since they had begun dating. To think that it had been a little over a year since he had had a drink startled him. Before, he would have a least one bottle a night. He pressed his hands to his face and simply rested there for a moment until he heard heavy footfalls on the stairs.

"It's almost dead, but it has a little bit of juice left," Ivan said as he plugged his own charger into an outlet by the couch, and handed Gilbert his phone.

Gilbert saw the light blue flash that indicated missed calls, and felt his heart sink. He turned the screen on and sighed at the eight missed calls, and thirteen texts. He felt himself grow a little queasy, and he decided that it would be better to call back now than later. Looking at Ivan, he slowly stood up and explained to him that he was going out to make a call. Although the beige-haired man looked a little unsure, he nodded his head in approval. Gilbert waved off the hand that Ivan offered him, and he made his way to the door.

As he stepped out into the hallway, he could see his hands shaking. Reluctantly, he hit the 'call back' button. He nervously shifted his weight from his right foot to his left as the phone continued to ring.

"Hello, Gilbert," came the deep, raspy voice that the albino had come to despise.


	4. Chapter 4

Gilbert felt himself tense up at the sound of the voice on the other line. After taking in a shaky breath, he quietly released it.

"Viktor," He returned the greeting.

There was a long pause of silence, but Gilbert willed himself to stay on the line.

"Did you enjoy my gift?" Viktor asked with a taunting tone.

At this, the silver-haired man froze. He had done his best to keep himself from thinking about how his ex could be involved in him being raped. But now the realization of it hit him like the brick wall that his face was roughly shoved into that same night.

"You know; it really was quite pricy. I know that your princely ass always liked big, expensive gifts. I never did understand why you always felt that you had to have everything that you wanted. Is that what happened when you were a child? Huh? Did your bastard of a father ever come back to save his little boy from the awful monster he created? No. No, Gilbert, he packed up and left without even sparing a glance at you," He continued.

Gilbert could practically hear the sneer in his voice, and he felt himself tense up at the harsh words. He attempted to fire anything back, but was quickly cut off as Viktor continued.

"Enough of these games. I'm picking you up, Gilbert. Where are you?"

Although Gilbert had promised himself that he wouldn't hang up, he also didn't want to be dragged back to that damn apartment. As soon as Viktor said the first syllable of his name, Gilbert ended the call.

Gilbert lowered the phone from his ear, and felt his chest tighten up. He bit his lower lip, and a small sniffle broke the silence of the hallway. He closed his eyes, and willed the tears back. Leaning against the gray wall, he covered his mouth with a trembling hand, and did his best to keep from making a sound. A year ago, he never would have allowed himself to get to this sort of pathetic state. He hated himself for what he had allowed Viktor to reduce him to; nothing more than a quivering mess of a man.

He hated Viktor. Even hated himself at times, which was what caught the German off-guard the most. He had always been overly-confident, and full of himself. At this point, Gilbert felt unsure about even the most basic decisions. It concerned Gilbert that he couldn't even recall when he had started to feel so bitter about the world. It must have been the first time that Viktor had hit him. Square in the face, with absolutely no remorse in his eyes. The only thing Gilbert remembered about that night was the harsh sting of the man's hand making contact with the albino's cheek, and the smug smirk that Viktor wore so often. Hell, Gilbert couldn't even recall what had sparked such a reaction. But it began to be a consistent thing in both of their lives. Gilbert had tried to fight back, of course he had. Naturally, each time resulted in the same thing. An exchange of derogatory, and patronizing words that began to wear down on the German emotionally. After the yelling there was often some sort of threat. On Viktor's side, it was to simply hand Gilbert over to whoever wanted him in their bed that night; while Gilbert swore up and down that he would run away, and Viktor would never see him again.

It didn't take long for Viktor to call out the albino on his empty threat. Viktor knew that Gilbert was too obnoxious to keep a job for very long. Viktor was the sole provider for the both of them, and could barely make it to the next month with more than ten dollars in his checking account. Gilbert was spoiled, even he knew that. But he also knew that material goods could only fill so little when it came to the happiness that he wanted out of his life. Looking around at Ivan's apartment, Gilbert could tell that the large man was thoroughly enjoying the life he was living. It felt warmer in that apartment than Gilbert had felt for what could be years. Hell, Gilbert was only 24 years old. He _should_ be out on the town having however much fun he pleases! Now that his controlling ex wasn't hovering over him, he could finally breathe easy, and do some of the things he actually wanted!

With his breathing settled down, he gave a small smile, and wiped what few tears had leaked their way down his cheeks. With his resolve renewed, he slid the phone back into his pocket, and waltzed back into the Ivan's apartment. The Russian was a little taken aback at the cocky way the albino carried himself. It was an obvious change from the nervous demeanor that he had when he left the room.

"Well, don't you look happy?" Ivan questioned with a small smile.

At that, the albino beamed a wide smile. Ivan felt his heart skip a beat at the sight. Gilbert's white hair was shining from the shower, and his eyes were sparkling a brighter red than Ivan had ever seen.

Although Gilbert did not reveal much information other than the fact that he had resolved a conflict with his ex. Unfortunately for Ivan, Gilbert didn't let on any more information about the person. More specifically, he didn't identify which gender this ex of his was. Of course, with how gorgeous Gilbert was, Ivan wouldn't be surprised if the man could either of the genders into his bed. Ivan only hoped that the albino preferred men.

Suddenly, a phone rang from a room that Gilbert had not seen yet. The door was shut, so naturally he began to wonder what exactly was in the room. The rest of the doors in the apartment were left open, so it was clear that Ivan had something in the room that he didn't like strangers getting into.

"You still have a home phone?" Gilbert teased with a small grin.

"It's just for work," Ivan stated as he stood, "If you ever hear it ringing while I'm gone, feel free to answer it," he continued as he walked to the door.

 _So much for keeping secrets._ Gilbert thought bitterly. He had hoped that there would be a little more to Ivan than this. Although, he didn't want it to be anything too shocking. He'd rather not be alone in the same place as a long-lost serial killer. Even just a secret pet would suffice. Gilbert didn't want things to get too boring for his stay there.

He watched as Ivan entered the room, and tuned out whatever he was saying to the other person on the phone. He started thinking about how long he actually intended to stay here. At this point, Ivan was the closest thing he had to a friend. While he was living with Viktor, he was isolated from nearly all of his friends. Eventually, they all moved away, and Gilbert was left alone. He still tried to keep into contact with two of them, but they were busy living their own lives. Gilbert hadn't even see them since he met Viktor. If he could, he would gladly move in with them. He wasn't really sure exactly where the two had ended up, but he could easily figure out. He heard the soft click of the door shutting, as the Russian came back into view.

"Do you have anywhere to get more of your clothes?" He asked. Gilbert didn't really want to say that he had been on the streets for about a week, so he settled for shaking his head. This caused a wide smile to appear on the man's lips. "Great! Then we can go shopping for some new ones, if you would like?" He offered.

Gilbert looked down at the clothes he was practically swimming in, and decided that a new wardrobe would do him some good. He just hoped that the Russian didn't expect to be paid back. He hadn't visited the city mall for months, and he was honestly eager to see it once more. The pain medicine that Ivan had given him was working wonders, so Gilbert didn't see anything wrong with going to find new clothes.

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," said Gilbert while he plugged his phone into the charger. At least that way, Viktor wouldn't be able to bother him while he was out. He didn't really want to go out dressed in what appeared to be Ivan's pajamas though.

"I've got your clothes in the dryer," the Russian said as if reading Gilbert's mind, "they should be done any minute now."

Gilbert felt his face flush a tad bit at how considerate Ivan was acting towards him. "When did you put them in?" He questioned, not quite sure what to say.

"I woke up early and put them in the washing machine. Before I left to get groceries, I put them in the dryer," Ivan answered. "They were pretty torn up…But you'll have more in just a couple of hours!" He said cheerily.

Gilbert felt as though Ivan were more excited than he was. Perhaps the Russian was lonely as well. That would explain why he was so quick to accept Gilbert into his home. He seemed very eager to make sure Gilbert was happy, and comfortable.

Ivan excused himself to get the dry clothes, so Gilbert made his way to the bathroom. He was a bit worried about how cold it would be outside. He didn't bring a jacket when he left his house, so it was likely that he would still have to wear some of Ivan's clothes. He stripped and dropped the clothes onto the floor as he waited for Ivan to arrive with his clothes.

Ivan smiled when he saw that the dryer had just recently finished drying the clothes. He pulled open the door and smiled at the warmth hitting his face. He pulled out the albino's jeans and his smile disappeared as he saw the many rips that the attack had caused.

 _Gilbert won't mind…_ he thought. _He'd probably wear ripped jeans on purpose any day…_

He'd look good in them too. They looked like skinny jeans, and Ivan would be lying if he said he wasn't eager to see them cling to Gilbert's thin figure. He then pulled out the shirt he was wearing, and folded it along with the jeans. Ivan blushed gently as he pulled out the last item in the dryer. A small pair of boxers with the German flag printed on them.

The Russian let out a small chuckle, "Figures…"

The waist looked like it would just barely cover Gilbert's hipbones. He would look good in them, Ivan concluded. After folding them, he set them on the other clothes, and made his way to the other bathroom. He knocked on the door, and a pale arm reached out. He could see small goosebumps begin to form on the man. If the albino was cold, he must have already stripped his clothes off. The Russian blushed darkly as the image of the man naked suddenly flooded his mind. He turned away from the door, and placed the folded clothes on Gilbert's arm.

The German whispered a quick word of thanks, and the arm disappeared back into the bathroom. Ivan took a quick look at the clock on the wall, and saw that it was almost a quarter to 4. The thermostat next to it said that it was even colder than it was yesterday. With this in mind, he headed back up to his room. He knew he had to have a spare jacket somewhere. Although it would be significantly bigger on the albino, they would just buy him his own today. He ended up pulling out a light gray one for Gilbert to use, while putting on his own coat.

On his way down the stairs he saw Gilbert leaning against the couch, and smiled at the man.

"It's getting chilly out, so I thought you might want this," he said as he held up the coat for the albino to examine.

He must have like how it looked, because he met Ivan on the stairs just so he could see it closer. "It looks awesome!" he said enthusiastically running his fingers over the heavy, gray material. Ivan handing it over to him, and the German slid it onto his tiny figure. Although the sleeves reached past his fingertips, Gilbert didn't seem to mind in the slightest.

"Ready to go?" asked Ivan while he watched Gilbert zip up the coat. He smiled at the small nod of the other, and the two headed for the door.

The taxi dropped them off at the entrance of the mall, and the Russian paid the man as Gilbert started up at the three-story building. The exterior was mostly a pale brown color, with black accents between the different levels. The entire third floor was made up of windows, and the albino couldn't help but stare in awe. It was no wonder why the parking lot was overflowing! Briefly, Gilbert wondered why he had never been to this mall. Hell, he didn't even recall ever seeing it. He supposed it was simply because he and Viktor were living on the opposite side of the city. He felt the Russian nudge his shoulder, and he turned to look at the man.

"It's even better in the inside," Ivan smiled. Gilbert simply looked at the Russian with a blank face, but if he were honest, he couldn't wait to get inside. The mall was very spacious, but was still full of people. It was surprising that there were so many people there when it was so late. A part of him felt like he needed to hold onto Ivan just so he didn't get taken away with the crowd. He felt himself reach for Ivan, but quickly scolded himself and placed the hand back by his side. He allowed Ivan to lead the way as he watched as stores passed by. Many of them had fancy names that Gilbert refused to even try to pronounce. They had mannequins wearing fancy suits, and business attire in the store windows.

He took a look at the people around him, and it appeared that nearly everyone was wearing fairly fancy clothing. He crossed his arms over his chest suddenly feeling self-conscious about his ripped jeans. He watched Ivan move, and was surprised when he saw the elegance that the large Russian man seemed to have as he walked through the crowd. Clearly he was much more comfortable in these kinds of places than Gilbert was.

Ivan caught the other staring, and simply smiled. "Is there anywhere specific you want to look?" he asked.

"You know your way around here better than I ever will. Just pick one," he said with a small pout. "Are you sure they have… normal clothes?" he asked while taking another look at the never-ending suit displays. The only places that Viktor ever let him shop for clothes were the few thrift stores that littered their side of the city.

Ivan gave a deep laugh at the question. "Of course they do, but they're on the second floor."

The two made their way up the escalator, which Gilbert seemed to really enjoy. The only mall that he had ever been to had only one level, so it was quite a treat to the man. Gilbert stopped outside of some kind of women's store, and Ivan stopped to see what it was that the albino was looking at. The entire store was pink, and fluffy slipper were displayed on the table at the front of the store. It seemed odd to Ivan that Gilbert seemed to want to go in, but he followed to shorter man regardless.

Gilbert headed straight for the pajama section, completely ignoring all the half-naked pictures of women lining the walls. This excited Ivan, as it confirmed that Gilbert may actually be more interested in men than women. He had a chance after all!

Ivan watched as Gilbert scanned the many racks of clothes until he settled his gaze on a white set with black trip. Although Ivan was skeptical, Gilbert really did need some pajamas that actually fit him. They bought a pair of white bunny slippers as well, which Ivan couldn't help but tease the man about. The way the albino blushed was just too precious for Ivan to give up. Ivan paid for Gilbert's things, and they made their way out of the store.

They passed by a clothing store where Gilbert saw a black T-shirt that he really thought that he needed. It was cute with a little red design on the front, even if Ivan wasn't sure what it was supposed to be. They walked in together, and Gilbert plucked the same shirt off of a shelf.

"What do you think?" Gilbert asked while holding the shirt in front of his chest. Ivan actually liked it a bit more than he thought he would. The black contrasted with the albino's ivory skin, and white hair very well. Ivan nodded his approval, and the man searched for his size. Although Ivan would never shop here for himself, it seemed that his red-eyed friend was right at home.

After picking out a fair amount of shirts, Ivan suggested that they look at the jeans while they were there. Gilbert agreed, and he picked out some black ones to try on. Ivan sat on a small stool while he patiently waited for the man to come out.

As Gilbert strutted out of the dressing room, Ivan felt his pants tighten ever so slightly. The material hugged every curve that the albino had, and seemed to make his ass look ten times more defined. Just the thought of running his hand over the smooth skin made the Russian shudder. He liked these jeans. He liked them _a lot_. Ivan swore to himself when he realized that the man was standing in front of him saying something that the Russian didn't quite catch. The albino walked back into the dressing room, and Ivan could have sworn that Gilbert was swishing his hips like that on purpose.

 _This is going to be a long shopping trip…_ Ivan thought as he tried desperately to hide the blush heating up his face.

Gilbert tightened the coat around him. It was nearly 9 o'clock, and the chilly air had only worsened over the time they spent shopping. Gilbert couldn't wait to try on his new pajamas. They were even made of silk! He had no doubts that he'd sleep better tonight than he had in years. He tried to force back the grin making its way onto his face, but he couldn't help it. He really had an awesome time with Ivan, and had a lot more fun than he honestly expected to.

He shifted the bags in his hands as Ivan called a taxi over. The driver opened the trunk for them, and Ivan assisted Gilbert in putting the bags inside. The two climbed into the back, and Gilbert released a heavy yawn as he finally was able to let his feet relax. He felt thoroughly exhausted, and couldn't wait to get back to Ivan's apartment.

Ivan smiled as he saw the German begin to doze off. If he could read Gilbert as well as he thought he could, then the man clearly had a blast. The two had clearly grown closer through the experience, and the thought made Ivan smile. Finally, he felt as though he had a connection with someone. As he saw the apartment come into view, he gently shook the albino's shoulder. The man let out a small groan and turned his head from the window to face Ivan.

"We're just about there," the Russian whispered, smiling when he saw red eyes open just a bit. Gilbert nodded in response, and stretched his arms above his head as well as he could in the slightly cramped car. He sat up a bit more as he rubbed at his eyes to try and wake himself up more.

The taxi slowed, and parked at the curb. Both men got out after paying the driver, and Ivan took the bags from the trunk. After fishing his apartment key out of his pocket, he opened his door and let Gilbert in first. Gilbert shut the door for him, and took some of the bags from him, asking where he should keep them.

"I can shift around the clothes in my dresser to make more room if you'd like?" Ivan offered. He had plenty of extra space anyway, since a majority of his clothes were hung up in the closet. Gilbert nodded and slowly made his way up the steps. The medicine that Ivan had given him earlier had worn off, and all the walking was beginning to get to him. He figured Ivan would be willing to give him more at some point when the pain became too much for him to handle.

Ivan followed him up the steps and told him to just set the bags on the bed for the time being. Gilbert did so, and took the pair of pajamas out of the bag. Ivan hung his coat back up, and did the same for Gilbert's when he took it off.

"Do you want to move your clothes while I change?" He asked Ivan while hugging the clothes to his chest. The Russian nodded, and told him that it wouldn't be a problem. Gilbert practically ran out of the room in his excitement. If it weren't for the pain in his back, he'd probably do a dance too. He closed the bathroom door, and took the tags off of his pajamas. After he set them on the washing machine, he slipped off his old clothes and looked at himself in the mirror. He was surprised to see that he was smiling without even realizing it, but the thought made his smile widen.

 _Aside from all the problems in the beginning, it turned out to be a really nice day._ He thought to himself as he put on the pajamas. The silk felt cool on his skin, and he loved the feeling of it. He felt a little silly being so excited about his pajamas, but for some reason he found himself not particularly caring too much. He wasn't quite sure where to put his dirty clothes, so he just bundled them up in his arms and exited the bathroom.

Ivan heard small footsteps coming towards his room, and looked up to see Gilbert standing in the doorway. He had to remind himself to breath when he saw how beautiful the albino looked in the silk clothes. Although they were designed for women, Gilbert looked gorgeous in them. Ivan determined that Gilbert made a very nice choice when he selected this.

"Just like an angel…" whispered the Russian with wide eyes.

"Did you say something?" The German questioned, while just staring at him. Luckily the words were enough to snap Ivan out of the strange trance.

"Th-The left side is for your clothes." Ivan stuttered as he tried desperately to regain his focus.

"That'll work. Are you sleeping in here or am I?" He asked while he sat down next to the Russian on the floor to put his new clothes away.

"Which do you prefer?" Ivan questioned as he tried his best to not stare at the beauty sitting right next to him.

"I can sleep on the couch tonight," Gilbert offered. He really didn't feel like making the large man suffer through the night after he had just bought hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars' worth of clothing.

Once everything was put back in their places, Ivan wasn't quite sure what to do.

"Do you want to watch TV?" Ivan asked.

"I guess." Gilbert shrugged, and they made their way down the stairs.

Ivan grabbed the remote controller off of the glass coffee table, as Gilbert settled comfortably on the sofa. Flipping through channels, he eventually settled on the news. Although it never really interested him, he thought Gilbert might be curious about what was going on in the world. Nearly ten minutes later, he glanced over and saw Gil resting his head in the palm of his right hand, looking bored out of his mind. Gilbert caught his eye and turned his head towards him.

"Is this really all that rich people do?" He scoffed at Ivan.

Although he couldn't really blame him, he was mildly surprised at how blunt Gilbert was. He shrugged at the albino's question.

"Do you have any better ideas?" He asked.

After a moment of silence. Gilbert simply turned his head back to the political debate taking place on the screen. Ivan rolled his eyes and began changing the channel. He continued until he saw Gilbert's head perk up a little. It appeared to be some kind of horror movie. He set the remote down and leaned back into the comfort of the beige couch. Gilbert had shifted to nearly mimic the position. Ivan couldn't help but reveal a small smile as he watched Gilbert out of the corner of his eye. It was clear that the albino was quite a horror movie fanatic. The way his eyes were eagerly scanning the screen was humorous to watch.

Ivan turned his attention back to the screen and felt the cushion move just as a figure flashed in front of the camera. He smirked as he looked over at Gilbert. Red eyes glared at him as he returned the gaze.

"You would have jumped too if you were actually paying attention…" He grumbled.

They continued on like that until the movie was just reaching the climax. Ivan had a bored expression on his face through most of it, but couldn't help the prickling feeling he got up his spine at the thick atmosphere of suspense. He felt himself lean forward slightly in amusement. He jumped and squeaked a little as he felt something lightly hit his shoulder. He looked over only to see the closed eyes of the albino. He chuckled to himself for letting his nerves get the better of him. Very rarely did he get scared. He contemplated letting the man stay on his shoulder, but decided that the man would throw a fit if he woke up and was still on Ivan.

Ivan turned off the TV while an actor was mid-scream, and carefully adjusted the albino so that he could stand. The shopping trip had clearly worn him out. Ivan tucked one of his arms under the man's legs, and the other propped the albino up so that he could lift him up without disturbing him too much. He carried the sleeping German up the stairs, much like he did that same early morning. Except now it was around 11 at night, so Ivan was more focused on not letting the albino fall.

He slid the door open with his foot, and attempted to lie Gilbert down on the bed. Gilbert didn't really seem to want to leave the warmth that Ivan provided, so he held onto the Russian's shirt and mumbled a few words of disapproval. Ivan felt his face heat up, and he gently pried Gilbert's hands off of his while whispering that everything was fine. He covered the man up, and watched as the white-haired man continued mumbling, and cuddled into the bedding. He brushed back a small strand of hair that was in Gilbert's face, and smiled at the little hum that the man made.

 _I think I'm falling for you…_ Ivan blushed at how true the thought was. All he could do now was hope that Gilbert wouldn't let him fall too hard.


	5. Chapter 5

Ivan set an alarm the previous night for 8 in the morning. Unfortunately, his body clock was so out-of-sync because of work, he actually woke up two hours before the alarm could ring. He had to go back to work today, so he decided that it would be a good idea to shower early. He folded up the throw blanket and placed it on the back of the couch, as he would most likely be using it again that night. He could feel his back begin to throb from being in such a position, but he could deal with it for a while more. The warm water would likely do some good for the pain, even if it wasn't a permanent fix.

He released a large yawn as he ascended the stairs to get to his bedroom. Gilbert's phone had vibrated nonstop over the night, and it had affected his sleeping very poorly. He'd ask Gilbert to silence it at night, or even turn it off. The illumination of the screen also bothered him, and he was worried about who it could have been. All signs pointed to the ex that Gilbert had briefly mentioned. He shook his head, trying to dismiss the sad thoughts. Gilbert deserved so much more than his previous lover.

 _Maybe someone like me…_ he entertained the thought for a bit with a small smile.

He silently opened the bedroom door, and peeked inside. He had closed the curtains the previous night, so Gilbert should have slept very peacefully. He quietly strode over to the dresser, and used his phone as a light source to pick out his clothes. He glanced over at the albino, and smiled at the sight.

The man had kicked off the covers at some point, and Ivan walked over to fix them. Gilbert was laying on his back with his arms raised up so that his hands were slightly above his head. His breathing was slow, but relatively steady. Ivan pulled the blankets up to his chest, and stood there for a while just to watch him. He knelt down beside the bed, and absent-mindedly played with the silk of Gilbert's shirt.

The wounds that Gilbert had arrived with had healed significantly, aside from a few marks on his face. He was still pleasant to look at, but it would take a few more days at least to get his face to its original state. Ivan couldn't wait for the day when Gilbert's skin was no longer littered with brown bruises, and small cuts. He thought it was a bit strange how quickly the swelling of Gilbert's eye had gone down. Ivan moved his hand to twirl a strand of white hair around his thick index finger. It was possible that Gilbert had had his injuries even before the alley incident. Ivan may have not known much about the man's past, but if he had to accuse someone, it would have to be Gilbert's ex. The unpleasant thought brought a small grimace to his face. He wondered what the albino could have done to warrant so many injuries.

The albino suddenly let out a low groan, as he rolled over to face Ivan. The sudden movement made Ivan back up a bit out of fear of the albino waking up. He didn't really feel like explaining why exactly he was watching him sleep. Hell, _he_ didn't know why he was doing it. It was probably just this little crush that he was experiencing. Though it felt like a bit more than just a simple crush. The albino was constantly on his mind, and Ivan tried to do everything in his power to make sure that he was comfortable.

Ivan's knees were beginning to become sore from kneeling for so long, so he stood up silently. He decided that a relaxing bath would be for the best, so he made his way to the bathroom on the first floor. He laid his folded clothing on the counter, and saw the red towel that Gilbert had thrown in the hamper. He wasn't sure how long the man had intended to stay with him, so he went ahead and hung the towel onto the small rack along with his own.

Ivan spent the rest of the morning doing small chores, and tidying up his apartment. He really didn't feel comfortable leaving Gilbert alone, but the albino didn't really seem to have anywhere else to go. He didn't think he could take the rejection of coming home to see that the albino had left. Ivan shook his head as an attempt to get the thoughts out of his head, and he went to go finish some paperwork in his office.

Gilbert took a deep breath and smiled at the scent of the Russian's pillow. The smell was something that Gilbert couldn't quite place, but it was nearly addicting. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about the large man, just that he made him happy. He hummed contently as he nestled his head deeper into the pillow. Suddenly, he realized that he specifically told Ivan that he would sleep on the couch. He didn't even recall ever going to the bedroom, and he blushed deeply as he realized that Ivan much have carried him up to the bed. He narrowed his eyes at the thought. He had told Ivan to take the bed, so why did he insist on sleeping on the couch?

 _You're too nice to me._ He thought as he sat up, and smiled at the face that he had even closed the curtains to keep out the morning light. He glanced to the clock, and saw that it was a little past 9. He also saw some more of the pills, and a small glass of water beside the silver lamp. He rolled his eyes at the sweet gesture, and threw the pills back. Even though he was beginning to feel a lot better already, he didn't think it would hurt to take the medicine just in case.

He stood from the bed, and stretched his arms above his head. He gave a small yawn, and went to go pick out his new outfit for the day. He pulled out the same skinny jeans that had caused Ivan's jaw to drop just yesterday, and grinned to himself. He wasn't trying to tease the Russian, but he couldn't help but feel flattered by the reaction he had caused the other. He pulled them on, along with a dark blue long-sleeved shirt. After eyeing himself in the full-length mirror on the closed door, he nodded his own approval.

He made his way downstairs after brushing his teeth with a spare that Ivan had gibed him yesterday morning. Ivan was taking clean dishes out of the dishwasher, so Gilbert decided to simply sit on the sofa. He saw his phone blinking, and sighed as he picked it up. He skimmed the numerous texts from Viktor. From a few key words, he could tell that the man was pissed off.

"Is that you, Gilbert?" Came a call from the kitchen.

"Y-Yeah. It's me," the albino answered, as he felt his stomach growl. He watched as Ivan walked into the open area between the living room and the kitchen. He leaned against the wall.

"Hungry?" Ivan snickered from behind his hand.

"Of course I am," he answered with a bit of a scowl. The two had decided to just eat at the mall yesterday. Although it really was good, Gilbert had left with a small part of his stomach feeling unsatisfied.

Ivan smiled, and nodded. "How would you feel about going out to eat breakfast with me? Just a little diner, nothing fancy," he quickly added as he noticed the reluctant look on Gilbert's face.

Gilbert weighed his options quickly. The man had already spent an enormous amount of money on him at the mall. A short glance around the room made Gilbert wonder how exactly Ivan was able to make so much money. The look in the Russian's eyes practically begged him to accompany the man.

Slowly, Gilbert nodded. "Sure, I guess it couldn't hurt," he replied. The smile of the other grew wider as he made his way over to Gilbert. He wrapped both arms around the slim waist of the albino, and gently hugged him. Gilbert felt himself tense, and his heartbeat slowed. He patted the Russian's back awkwardly, as he began to take pity on the lonely man. He tried to ignore the tingling sensation that he felt in his chest.

Ivan rattled off the name of the restaurant to the taxi driver, and Gilbert had to remind himself to breathe. That was the same restaurant that Viktor had frequented often. Gilbert didn't understand how someone could go to the same restaurant three days a week. The thought nearly made him want to throw up, but he quickly scolded himself.

 _If I see him, I'll just make sure he knows that I'm happier where I am now than I could ever be with him._ After a few quick words of encouragement, he felt his mood perk up just a bit. He could do this! Hell, he could even tell him that Ivan was his new lover. That could go one of two ways; either it would get Viktor off of his back, or it would just strengthen the wicked man's desire for him. It felt a bit weird to think of Ivan in that way, but his mind played back the memory of him fawning over the smell of Ivan on the pillow. He blushed, and buried his nose in this own new coat. Perhaps he liked the thought more than he was admitting to himself. He felt Ivan's eyes on him, so he simply turned to the window. Maybe he wouldn't notice the red dusting the albino's cheeks.

Although Ivan had described the eatery as a 'diner', it was a bit more modern than that. It was moderately priced, and the colors throughout the building were pleasant to look at. Although the light blue color of the exterior was supposed to bring a soothing feeling to the customers, the sight of it caused Gilbert to feel a tingling sense of dread. Ivan nudged him away from the taxi as it began to pull away. He mentally prepared himself, and followed Ivan in as soon as he had retrieved his confidence.

The two were seated at a tan colored booth. Gilbert was facing the kitchen and bathrooms, while Ivan could see the doors, and most of the other customers. Basically nothing had changed from the last time that Gilbert had visited. The cream walls were decorated with several paintings of landscapes, and the walls that matched the cushions of the booths and seats. Overall, it was a very nice looking place.

Both of them flipped through their menus, and their waitress took their drink orders. Gilbert settled on his usual, while Ivan had been flipping through the menu for the past couple of minutes. He rarely ever had time to eat breakfast due to work. Even if he did, it usually consisted of some instant oatmeal, or some kind of protein bar. Gilbert saw the waitress heading over, and his stomach began to growl loudly.

"Why don't you just get a Belgian waffle, or something?" Gilbert suggested, feeling a bit impatient with the Russian. Ivan nodded, embarrassed by how long it took him to decide. Clearly, the albino was hungry. Maybe he would cook Gilbert something nice for dinner. When he had the time, of course. Ivan grimaced a bit at the thought of work. Although he didn't dislike his job, he was enjoying Gilbert's company too much to want to go back. The waitress came to their table, and wrote down the orders on her small pad of paper.

Gilbert didn't see any signs of Viktor, even his favorite waiter was nowhere to be found. He knew he should have been thankful, but he couldn't help but feel uneasy. He attempted to make himself calm down, and his body was just about to relax when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He briefly wondered if Ivan would consider him rude if he were to check his phone. Clearly, he had bigger problems to deal with. No one ever texted him except for Viktor. He sucked in a quick breath, and slowly retrieved his phone from his pocket. Despite all of his senses telling him to not open the message, his curiosity forced him to.

" _Who is that with you?_ " The message read. Gilbert felt his body go ridged. All the confidence he had talked into himself had quickly dissipated. He wasn't quite sure what to reply, or even if he should respond at all. Nibbling at the inside of his bottom lip, he typed out a simple message. _"A friend"_. Gilbert really wasn't really sure what to call the man, but a friend was better than referring to him as a stranger that he was living with.

" _Gilbert. You know you don't have any of those. Who is he really? Your new plaything for the week?"_ The albino sighed at the words. A few months previous, Viktor had caught him in bed with another man. The beating that night was probably one of the worst ones, and Gilbert nearly ended up in the hospital. He still had the scars on his back. If he could, Gilbert would do anything to undo that entire night. Although Viktor had a valid reason for such harsh words, Gilbert didn't see why he insisted on holding it against him after so long. _"It's not like that."_ He replied quickly. He saw the waitress coming back with their food, so he set his phone in his lap. He felt another vibration from the phone, and knew that the message would be some comment on the chocolate-chip pancakes that Viktor hated so much.

Gilbert thanked the blonde woman by name, and Ivan raised his brow. The albino must have been a frequent customer, so Ivan praised himself on finding a restaurant that the white haired man liked. The small smile that was on his lips quickly disappeared as he noticed Gilbert staring down, and tracing random patterns on the table with his finger. He looked uncomfortable, and had been silent for quite a while.

Ivan was getting ready to ask if something was wrong, when he suddenly noticed a man staring at the back of Gilbert's head. The man had his phone out, and he wondered if that was the person that Gilbert seemed to be texting. The albino hadn't touched his food, which was another sign that something was bothering him. It suddenly occurred to him that the man could potentially be Gilbert's ex. He saw the albino peek over his shoulder, then quickly his head back to face the Russian.

"I-I'm going to go to the bathroom," the albino excused himself. He stood, and appeared to be hugging himself as he quickly walked into the restroom. When he realized that the bathroom, he locked himself in the handicapped stall, and leaded against the wall. His phone began to buzz, and he grimaced as he answered the call.

"I should have known you would betray me again," the voice whispered as soon as he saw that the call had gone through.

"I _left_ you," Gilbert said, trying to get the fact through the thick-skull of the other. "I'm living with someone else now."

"You're a whore, you know that? Just like your mother was. You remember how that turned out, don't you?" Viktor asked tauntingly. "Do you let him touch you like all of your mother's boyfriends?"

Suddenly, Gilbert bit his lower lip, and he felt tears well up. After hearing the words, he could only think about all of all those different men touching him. The way that they would slip into his bed, and let their hands roam always made him feel sick. He could feel it now, and it had the same effect. He bit his lip to try and hold it down, but was forced to lean over the porcelain bowl. Although he hadn't had much to eat, he couldn't stop retching.

"So bulimia runs in the family too? Gilbert, you only had three bites," Viktor said with a bit of a dark chuckle at the end. The vomiting scorched his throat, but it was nothing compared to the words that Viktor had said. Gilbert could easily hear the smirk in the other's voice. Although he had never had any problem with an eating disorder, the accusation of it still stung.

Ivan couldn't help but glare at the man who was sitting halfway across the restaurant. His posture made him seem overly-confident. Almost as though he believed that he was in control of the situation. Clearly he had some, based on how Gilbert had scurried off like a hit puppy. A small growl escaped Ivan when he had the sudden thought of ripping out the man's black hair strand by strand. Ivan felt his body tense up with the desire to hit something when he saw the man pull his phone out, and begin speaking to someone. He knew it'd be best to just ignore the feeling, and continue eating, but he couldn't help but worry about how Gilbert was feeling.

He looked down at his half-eaten waffle, and began to force himself to finish it. Before long, Ivan's eyes snapped back to the stranger as he saw him stand. At first he was worried that the man was going to join Gilbert in the bathroom, but he simply paid his bill, and left. Ivan breathed a small sigh of relief as he saw the exit doors close behind the black-haired man. He decided it was in his best interest to inform Gilbert that it was safe to come out.

Viktor had just hung up when Gilbert heard the small squeak of the restroom door being pushed open. Heavy footsteps made their way over to the stall, and he tried to force himself further into the corner. He knew how soundproof the walls were, and he was worried that if Viktor were to hurt him here, he wasn't so sure his screams for help would do much good. He wiped at his eyes quickly, and attempted to stifle his sniffles.

"Go away!" the albino said in a bit of a strangled yell.

Ivan flinched back slightly at how upset the German sounded. He instantly regretted letting the man leave unscathed. "He's gone," Ivan said gently, "you can come out now."

Gilbert released a shaky breath of relief, and quickly wiped his nose with some toilet paper. "You're sure?" He asked with a slight whimper in his voice.

"I watched him leave, Gilbert. Now let's go finish breakfast," Ivan offered. He figured that he may as well try to make the albino's morning a little bit brighter. He seemed to really enjoy the quality time the two had together at the mall, so maybe some more alone time would make him feel better. Especially now that Viktor was gone.

Red eyes peered at him through the slim crack in between the stalls. "Give me a minute, and I'll be out," he said. Ivan nodded at the request, and made his way back to the table. As soon as the door shut, Gilbert unlocked the stall door, and made his way to the sinks. He rinsed his mouth out hoping to get rid of both the smell, and the taste. He didn't really want to keep eating, as his stomach still felt a bit queasy. But he also didn't want to be hungry until Ivan was able to get to his apartment.

After a couple of minutes, he had cleaned up his face a bit more, and managed to calm himself down. He made his way out of the bathroom, and slid back into his side of the booth. His pancakes looked delicious, as always. He felt a lot better than he did, but that was mostly due to the face that Viktor was gone.

"That guy staring at you. Was he your ex?" Ivan asked, trying to at least get a little bit of information on the situation. The albino looked up and nodded at the question, confirming Ivan's suspicions.

"His name is Viktor," Gilbert whispered as though the man would be able to hear their conversation through his car. "He comes here pretty often."

Ivan felt his heart drop slightly. No wonder Gilbert was so familiar with the restaurant. Ivan wished that he would have said something about this earlier, but now it was too late.

"Would you like to leave?" He asked, not sure of what the answer would be.

"Our food just got here. As long as he's gone, everything should be fine," Gilbert answered. He attempted to eat his pancakes, but just one bite made Viktor's words echo in his head. He didn't want to look rude, so he forced a couple more pieces down.

He watched as two men walked in. One was a tall, blonde man; while the other was short with light brown hair. The blonde's face was blank as they took their seats. The smaller man was looking around the restaurant as though he had never been there before.

"I've always wanted to try French food!" The apparent Italian cheered to the other. Gilbert thought it was a bit strange, but simply continued eating. They were handed the menus, and the shorter man began excitedly scanning the different meals. After a minute or two, he looked up at the blonde with tears welling in his eyes. "Luddy… They don't have strawberry crepes here…" he said, looking miserable. Gilbert nudged the Russian's foot to get his attention, and gestured over to the strange pair's table.

 _May as well enjoy the show._ He thought with a slight smirk on his lips.

'Luddy' looked at his companion with a confused expression on his face. "I never told you that they had them here. In fact, you never even asked me," he said in a thick German accent. The Italian's brown eyes grew wide at the words. The tears were beginning to fall now, and he sniffled into his napkin. The blonde rolled his blue eyes at the display, and weakly attempted to comfort the crying man.

That ended poorly, because as soon as the German managed to get a word out, the Italian was full-on sobbing. His arms were folded on the table, and his head was buried in them. Gilbert didn't see the big deal, really. French food wasn't that great anyway from what he had tried in the past.

At some point, the two had finished their food, and they walked away from the dramatic display. After a quick glance around the parking lot, Gilbert deemed it safe to say that Viktor had indeed gone home. Ivan opened the taxi door for him and slid in after him. As the car pulled away, neither had noticed a dark green Buick follow them.


	6. Chapter 6

The pair walked into the apartment, and Gilbert felt a small tinge of relief in his chest. Here he knew he wouldn't be hurt, as Ivan looked like the type to be able to accidently kill a man in his sleep. He probably should have been more frightened by the other, but Ivan had done nothing to harm him. To tell the truth, Gilbert doubted that he could ever feel uncomfortable around him. If Gilbert were honest to himself, he would say that he was forming a small crush on the other. His stomach fluttered every time he thought about their hug this morning. Ivan had been very warm, and Gilbert continued to wonder what it would be like to lean into the touch more. He felt a small blush warm up his cheeks as he imagined the two of them cuddled together in bed. He wasn't entirely sure where the image had come from, but he knew that he liked it a lot. Sleeping had always been a bit of an issue with him. For some reason, he thought the he would be able to rest easily in Ivan's arms. He wasn't entirely sure why he felt that way. It could have been the aura of safety that the man carried around him.

 _You're so perfect._ He thought as he watched the man get ready to go to his job. He was impressed at how flawless the Russian appeared to be. Although Gilbert held hidden feelings for Ivan, he was growing increasingly anxious about who the man really was. Hell, he hadn't even been given a name yet! It was unclear to Gilbert whether that was intentional, or if the idea of it simply never came to his mind. The phone inside of the office suddenly began to ring. Gilbert started at the Russian from his spot on the couch, and he wondered what exactly it was the Ivan did for a living. Clearly, he was making a living out of it, and Gilbert couldn't help but feel slightly inadequate with how little he had done in his own life. The phone conversation didn't last long, and Ivan seemed to say very little to the person on the other end of the line. As the large man walked out of the office, Gilbert caught sight of the harsh scowl on the man's face, and was concerned for what could have brought the man down so quickly. He was smiling sweetly at the albino whenever he walked past him just a minute ago. Briefly, Gilbert wondered if the large Russian was involved in some kind of dangerous occupation. It really wouldn't surprise him all that much. If anything, it would suit the man more than a basic job that usually involved a bunch of paperwork. Gilbert had been stuck in a job similar when he had just gotten out of high school. He felt grateful the day that Viktor came along, and got him out of the dead-end job. But these days, Gilbert regretted ever letting the cruel man get near him.

Viktor had been a new staff member, and approached Gilbert when he had noticed just how miserable the albino was. He had made the deal of a lifetime, or at least it had seemed like it at the time. A relationship with him, and Viktor swore he would be able to financially provide for Gilbert for the rest of his life. Of course, at the age of 21, that sounded like a dream. Viktor had been quite handsome at the time, with well-toned body, and all of his sleek suits. Although even at the time, he thought that the proposition sounded a bit too good to be true. It was only natural that Gilbert agreed to the man's deal. He had already formed a small crush on the man the second he laid eyes on him, so he was elated to hear that Viktor felt the same feelings as the albino.

It hard started out innocently enough. Gilbert had started to slack at work, and Viktor encouraged him to simply quit. The two were doing well enough financially, and Gilbert had moved in with his boyfriend about half a year into their relationship. Viktor insisted that he should finally quit his job, and the German was happy to oblige. The two were happy afterwards for about a month. They spent many days making love, and cuddling on their sofa in their shared house. Apparently Viktor had inherited it from his grandparents, and it was the perfect size for just the two of them. Viktor told Gilbert that he had spent several of his childhood summers at the house, and he was devastated when his grandparents had passed away. The only thing that seemed to console him was going to the house, and reminiscing. He didn't know until 2 years later, when he had turned 19, that the house belonged to him. Gilbert loved the house almost as much as Viktor did. Unfortunately, their relationship had taken a turn for the worst when Gilbert had left the stove on while he was running into town. Because they were in such a remote part of the city, their neighbors didn't notice the fire until they saw thick smoke rising in the distance. Viktor had been the first one there, and he was clearly in quite a bit of shock. His eyes had glossed over, and it was as if he was seeing nothing at all. The fire department arrived a few minutes after, and nearly all of the two-story house had been destroyed.

That was when Gilbert began to notice a direct change in the black-haired man. They had to move on, and find a new place to live. They found a simple apartment quite a few miles away from their former house. It was tiny, but livable. Not even a week after the move, Viktor began to have trouble getting the energy to go to his job. He had started accusing Gilbert of starting the fire on purpose, although he had nothing to back this up. Eventually, Viktor had missed enough work to get himself fired. They survived as long as they could on the last of Viktor's paycheck. Gilbert had found himself another job at a convenience store down the street. He made minimum wage with very few hours put in a week. It was the only work he could manage to find, but Viktor continued to insist that he simply wasn't looking hard enough.

At some point in time, the man had begun to take his frustrations out of Gilbert. Nearly every time that Viktor had any alcohol in his system, it resulted in a restless night for the red-eyed man. Unfortunately for Gilbert, that was nearly every night. Typically, it began with simple arguments, and a hit or two, and ended with Viktor forcing himself onto Gilbert. He was usually able to handle the sex if he drank himself numb. At some point, Viktor had denied Gilbert the right to drink. Afterwards, Gilbert felt himself die emotionally. He had shut out most of his feelings, and he stopped caring so much about his own personal health. They were no longer able to afford their apartment, so they had to downgrade once again. It was soon after that Gilbert had lost his job.

Suddenly, purple colored eyes filled his vision, and the albino felt himself jerk back in surprise. The Russian smiled at him.

"You seem to space out quite a bit," Ivan said with a small chuckle, "What is it that you were thinking about?" He asked, quite curious about the answer after seeing a smirk appearing on the other's face.

"Thinking about all the trouble I could get into while you're at work," he answered.

Ivan's smile disappeared at the cheery façade of the other. It was obvious by the expression on his face that he was not enjoying where his thoughts were taking him. He knew very little about the albino, so it very easily could just be a quirk that the man possessed. Ivan determined that it wouldn't hurt to question Gilbert a bit more.

"Are you sure? You had a pretty sour look on your face," he said.

The albino simply looked at him. He didn't really want to tell his past to the Russian. He really didn't want to have the privilege of cooking to be taken away. Honestly, he doubted that the man would be that cruel. He felt very passionate about the art, and had been itching to get back into it for quite a while. Maybe he would cook the Russian something as an apology for lying to him. Gilbert continued to be silent for a few seconds more before he nodded.

"I'm sure. Don't worry so much," he assured the man. "Besides, you're going to be late if you need to be there in ten minutes."

The Russian glanced at his watch, but he really wasn't worried in the slightest about arriving on time. He doubted that anybody would even miss him if he were to take the day off. Regardless, he decided to make his way out the door after telling Gilbert that he would be back before 11 o'clock. The albino scrunched his nose in distaste at the hours, but decided that he may as well make the most of it. The phone rang once more, and Ivan left to answer it.

Gilbert watched he man emerge from the room with a heavy scowl on his face. He didn't even react to the goodbye kiss that Gilbert teasingly threw his way. Gilbert felt himself frown at the lack of reaction. He wondered if he really should answer the phone. Clearly, the conversations hadn't been going all that great. He had never heard Ivan answer the phone, so he wasn't really sure if he needed to introduce himself or not. Hell, he didn't even know where the man worked. The lack of information seemed suspicious, but now that the Russian was gone, there was very little he could do.

 _Maybe the phone just won't go off._ He hoped silently.

He decided to start his afternoon alone by seeing what was on TV. He channel-surfed for quite a long time, before finally settling on some soap opera that he didn't quite understand. He really didn't know why a single person needed to have over one-thousand channels. To him it all seemed a bit excessive, really. He felt himself begin to doze off, but the occasional yelling from the TV forced him to jerk awake. He chuckled at himself for his jumpiness. He stretched his legs out, and rested them on top of the coffee table after kicking his shoes off.

Roughly an hour passed, and Gilbert felt his stomach begin to growl. He thought about all the food that the Russian had brought home, and decided that he might as well go see what there was to eat. He made his way to the kitchen, and glanced out the large windows. The height of the building made his stomach did a couple of flips. He released a bit of a giggle at the feeling, and opened the silver fridge. He pouted slightly at the fruits and vegetables that filled the clean space. He took out a container of what looked like sliced up pears, and made his way back to the couch. Ivan had never told him any house rules, so Gilbert figured he would just try to not make much of a mess. His back had just made contact with the couch cushion when the phone in Ivan's office started to ring.

"Verdammt," the German swore in his native tongue, "So much for the phone not fucking ringing," he grumbled.

Despite how much he didn't want to, he made his way to the office door. He flipped the light switch, and the room was filled with a warm glow. He walked over to the desk made out of light wood. He took the phone off of the receiver, but a voice interrupted before he could even begin to think of a greeting.

"Hello again, Ivan," the deep voice nearly whispered.

It suddenly occurred to the albino that that Ivan had never actually introduced himself. The voice continued to speak, while Gilbert got lost in thought about whether or not the large man 'forgot' such an important detail on purpose. His attention turned back to the one-sided conversation when he heard his own name.

"That's right," the voice hissed, "I know about Gilbert."

Gilbert didn't want to believe that it was Viktor, but there was nobody else that it really could be. He didn't quite recognize the voice, but he figured it could just be a simple voice-disguiser. He stayed quiet, and let the man continue on his monologue.

"Watch your back, Ivan. Otherwise your little friend will have to end his stay early," and the man hung up.

Gilbert felt himself roll his eyes at the petty threat. He put the phone back in its cradle, and took an actual look at the office. The dark olive-colored walls created a bit of a calming effect, and although Gilbert didn't need it, the feeling brought a small smile to his face. The phone conversation made Gilbert curious about why Viktor would have called Ivan to threaten him. Normally, the man would have simply done what he wanted without openly saying so. He always claimed that it was the best way to catch them off-guard. He sat in the large black swivel chair, and shivered at the feeling of the cold leather. There was a large desktop setting on the desk, and Gilbert's lip curled at the ancient look of the computer.

"I swear, if I wake up to the sound of dial-up, I will kill something," he said out loud.

He hadn't even checked to see if the man had Wi-Fi or not. Even if he did, it was probably locked. Gilbert decided to just spend some time snooping around in the Russian's things. If Ivan was going to withhold valuable information, Gilbert figured that he may as well do some digging on his own.

He figured out quickly that most of the drawers were locked, and a small pout formed on his lips. Clearly he did something important. He turned his search to the desktop, and saw a picture of an older man, who was probably in his mid-fifties. He looked well-dressed, similar to what Ivan normally wore. He wondered if it was the Russian's father, and chuckled when he noticed that the two had the same big nose. He sighed, and slumped back into the chair as he nudged at a boring looking pencil sharper.

 _What a loser. This is going to be a long night._ He thought to himself, as he glanced at the large clock above the door.

The time seemed to pass slower by the hour. Gilbert had already eaten most of the fruits and vegetables that he wanted, bored himself by flipping channels, and took another tour of the house. Unfortunately, it was only 6 o'clock. He took another look in the fridge, and found a large bottle of vodka that was half full. His mouth began to water at the thought of alcohol, so he took the bottle. After grabbing a glass cup, he walked over to the window to enjoy the view.

He swallowed the liquid, and his throat burned a bit from going so long without a drink. He missed the little feeling that the alcohol gave him. A little light on his feet, and a small buzzing sensation on his tongue. He watched the cars whizz by, and leaned his body against the wall. This was the life that he missed. Just lazing around with a drink in his hand would be a perfect occupation for him. Unfortunately, he knew that there would be a lot of competition in such a likeable line of work. He smiled at how carefree his thoughts were. It was nice to be able to let his mind wander to such silly topics.

The sun was gone, and it was beginning to get darker due to the time change. He wondered if Ivan would be hungry, and determined that it would be late enough for him to at least eat something. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and was pleased at the lack of missed notifications. After doing a quick internet search of recipes that didn't require too many ingredients, he settled on one that he could fix the Russian. 11 o'clock was a pretty late time to eat, but he was sure that Ivan wouldn't mind. He had probably done worse in the past.

The phone rang once more, and Gilbert decided it was probably best for him to not answer it. He was much too relaxed, mostly from the vodka, to really feel like being threatened again. If Ivan asked about it, Gilbert would simply saw that he was in the bathroom or something.

He filled the glass up once more, and turned the TV on. He needed to have some sort of ambiance on so his nerves would stay at bay. The walls were so sound-proof that he was honestly baffled by it. It was almost hard for him to remember that there were people living on the other side of their wall. The silence was unnerving to say the least. He wasn't sure how Ivan managed to stay sane in the apartment. Gilbert normally didn't let things like this affect him to this extent. It must have been due to the whole situation with Viktor that had him more sensitive to such things.

He slumped back on the couch, and set his recently refilled glass on the side table. He wasn't sure what the Russian did every day. It seemed like all he did was go to work. No wonder he was so eager to get Gilbert to stay with him. He drank the rest of his vodka, and stood to retrieve the whole bottle.


	7. Chapter 7

The hours seemed to vanish almost as fast as the vodka. Gilbert was more than a little drunk, and had long passed out on the couch. The TV was still on, but the show had changed to a news broadcast that was droning out the snores from the albino. The red and blue of the screen was reflecting off of the glass surfaces in the apartment, and illuminated the sleeping man's form.

A sudden knocking roused Gilbert from his deep slumber, and he felt himself rub his eyes. The light flickering from the TV hurt his eyes, but he sat up regardless. He held onto the couch for support as he stood up, and a soft groan of 'coming' escaped his lips.

 _Ivan must have left his key…_ He thought to himself as he shakily walked to the door to help the Russia inside. After pulling the door open, he turned his smiling face to the person towering over him. Although the face was blurry, he wasted no time in grabbing the large wrist and pulling the man inside. He felt giddy at the thought of Ivan being home. He was a little discouraged about not managing to cook him a meal, but there would be plenty of time in the future to try again.

He felt warm arms encircle his waist, and he leaned into the growing heat. He released a happy sigh, and leaned into the chest behind him.

"I didn't think you missed me that much," the Russian whispered into his ear.

As soon as he comprehended the words, he let out a drunk giggle. The vodka had affected his hearing a bit, so it was difficult to make out exactly what was said. He felt himself sloppily nod, as warm lips brushed against his neck. A shudder ran down his spine, and he was suddenly picked up by the man. Ivan didn't feel quite the same as he did when he carried Gilbert to the apartment, but it was obvious that Gilbert wasn't exactly in the right state of mind during that time either.

He allowed the man to carry him, and simply closed his eyes. It felt as though Ivan was just wandering around, and it began to leave a bad taste in Gilbert's mouth. Red eyes peeked through white lashes, and he saw that they were beginning to go up the stairs. Gilbert could feel his heart beat slower as his foggy mind began to think about the Russian claiming him. That was the only thing that he thought could come next. Especially with how touchy Ivan was getting. He flinched as he felt a hand slide down to grip his ass. He moaned slightly into the other's neck, and he saw the door to the bedroom slide open.

He felt his pants grow tight as his mind conjured several images of what they were about to do. He hadn't really thought about being fucked by the Russian before, but it seemed to be all that his drunken state could imagine. He squirmed slightly as Ivan laid him on the bed, and he giggled as he clung to the other. The Russian seemed slimmer in the dim lighting, and he smiled when he saw Ivan come into his blurry view.

"Roll over," came the soft command in his ear.

He pouted slightly at the thought of not being able to see the man's face, but he really wouldn't be missing anything in his drunken state. He rolled over with mild ease, but couldn't help but frown at the bile working its way up his throat. He felt a slight unease in his stomach, but assumed that it was simply because he was nervous to have sex again. He felt his pants slide down to his calves, and he shivered at the feeling of the cool air on his pale skin. He bit his lip as the nervous feeling began to nag at him, and continued to grow heavier.

He felt warm hands slide up his legs, and the touch made him tense up. He got his arms underneath him, and made a weak attempt to sit back up. His mind flashed back to all the times that he had been in the same situation with his ex-boyfriend. It always seemed to be the man's go-to position, and he wanted to see if Ivan would let them do a different one. Gilbert felt the Russian lay his hand on his back, and he whined at the feeling.

"Stay down," the man whispered near his ear.

He albino shuddered at the sound, and tried to speak clearly.

"I-I want to move…" the man slurred slightly.

He felt the Russian pick him up once more, and set him on his lap. His heart leaped at the change. Unfortunately, he was facing away from the Russian still. When he tried to turn around, he felt hands on his arms hold him in a tight grip.

"Keep still," Ivan's voice rumbled.

Gilbert felt the Russian's cock against his ass, and bit his lip at the feeling. Clearly, the man had already taken off the clothing on his lower body. There wasn't nearly as much room on Ivan's lap as he thought there would be, but it was still relatively comfortable. He was grateful for the hands warming his body, but the feeling of them also made his stomach burn with the need to empty its contents. He cursed himself for getting into the Russian's alcohol. He wished that he could clearly see his surroundings, and hoped that he would at least remember it in the morning.

Gilbert moaned at the feeling of his cheeks being spread, and gripped onto the man's legs. The head of Ivan's cock burned against his entrance, and the albino felt his eyes squeeze shut in anticipation. The burning sensation in his stomach continued to grow, but he forced himself to focus on the sensations the Russian was giving him.

He grunted as his hole was stretched against its will, and briefly wondered why the man hadn't prepared him earlier. Thin fingernails dug into flesh, and Ivan forced the hands to cling to the sheets. Gilbert hardly noticed, as he tried to force himself to relax. He clenched his teeth, and let out a small, pained groan. Whispered curses followed soon after when Ivan continued to move further. Eventually, he pulled his cock out slightly, and Gilbert breathed a relieved sigh.

"I-Ivan…!" He moaned slightly, wiggling his hips a bit.

There was a small pause in the man's actions. Gilbert felt the hands on his waist tighten their grip. Suddenly, he was slammed back onto the Russian, and he desperately held back the scream of pain that threatened to escape from between his lips. Ivan seated Gilbert down fully on his cock, and whipped the man's shirt off of his trembling body. The red-eyed man began to squirm wildly, but the Russian showed his displeasure by biting down harshly on the albino's pale shoulder. Gilbert flinched away quickly from the man's painful actions, and felt himself be pushed face-first onto the bed.

Ivan wrapping his hands around a pale throat, and continued to pound into Gilbert's tight hole. At this point, Gilbert was crying out into the pillow that he had comfortably snuggled that very morning, and began to sob. The pressure on his throat increased, and silenced the albino's cries. The albino made a weak attempt to breathe, but only small puffs of air were making it to his lungs. He felt the hands move back to his waist, and Ivan began to thrust quicker.

Eventually, he heard the Russian release a loud groan, and he felt warm liquid trickle its way around Ivan's cock, and out of him. He felt the man's heavy weight as he rested himself against Gilbert's back. Gilbert was trying his hardest to stay alert, but between all the vodka, and the intense pain he was in, he was finding it difficult. Gilbert's breathing was getting more labored by the minute, but Ivan finally sat back up. The second that he felt the Russian's cock pull out, Gilbert made his way to the edge of the bed, and the contents of his stomach ended up on the floor. He shuddered at the lingering taste. He heard the bedroom door shut, and the Russian was gone. The burning sensation covered his whole body, and he passed out after vomiting once more.

Ivan tapped his pen nervously as he started at the clock on the meeting room wall. It was already two hours later than he expected to be home, and he couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that something was wrong. To try and relieve the feeling, he pictured the albino curled up in his bed, warm and comfortable. He smiled at the thought.

 _I'm sure he's just fine._ He reassured himself, while he waited for the financial meeting to come to a close.


End file.
